Cartridge for compressed air



Patented Jan. 13, 1885;

Fig.1.

Til/ 9.2.

. T. GHAMBERLAIN.

CARTRIDGE FOR UOMPRESQED AIR.

7:. I a Z 'IIIIIIIIIIIIIII/IJIIIIIII! (No Model.)

m I VENTQR I ATTORNEY.

N. PETERS. Phcm-Lxlhogmpher. Wnflflngln-n. u. c.

l l l llnrrs TATES Arsivr rrrcs.

WILLIAM '1. CHAMBERLAIN, OF NORWICH, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR OF TWO- THIRDS TO BENJAMIN M. PRINCE, OF SAME PLACE, AND WILLIAM CROSS- LEY, OF RANDOLPH, MASSACHUSETTS.

CARTRIDGE FOR COMPRESSED AIR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 310,648, dated January 13, 1885.

(No model.)

To all whom, it 77LfbZ/ concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM T. CHAMBER- LAIN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Norwich, in the county of New London,

State ofConnecticut, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Cartridge-Shells, which improvement is fully set forth in the following specification and accompanying drawings, in which Figure l is a side elevation of the barrel of a cannon or gun having my invention applied to it. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section thereof. Fig. 8is a transverse section in line 000:, Fig. 2.

Similar letters of reference indicate correr 5 sponding parts in the several figures.

My invention consists of a cartridge adapted to receive a charge of compressed air, and thereby impel the ball or projectile.

Referring to the drawings, A represents the barrel of a cannon or gun, which latter will hereinafter be denominated a firearm! B represents a metallic cartridge shell, which is inserted in the barrel A, and has its rear end secured to or formed with the screw plug or cap C at the breech of the fire-arm. The front end of the cartridge passes through a plug or cap, D, at the front of the barrel, the caps C closing the barrel at opposite ends and rendering it air-tight.

In the wall of the barrel A is an air-inlet, a, which is covered on the inner end by an inwardly-opening valve, E, properly secured within the barrel.

F representsa plunger, which is fitted snugly within the shell B, and its rear end projects from the cap 0, so as to be struck, and

thus directed toward the front of the arm, the forward end of the plunger being of somewhat reduced diameter, so that a space exists be- 0 tween the same and the shell. In the wall of the shell are ports or slots b,whereby there is a communication between the shell B and barrel A, and through opposite slots there projects the end of a pin, G, which engages with a sleeve or valve, H, encircling the shell B, 5 adjacent to the ports I), so that when the valve is moved in one direction it uncovers said ports, and when moved in the opposite direction it covers and closes the same.

The operation is as follows: The shell, with the valve H covering the ports I), is inserted into the barrel A, the ball or bullet introduced into the shell, and air forced through the inlet a into t-hebarrel A, this being accomplished by any suitable air compressing or pumping apparatus, the valve E closing when the barrel is properly charged with air, the parts being in position shown in Fig. 2.

When it is desired to fire or shoot, the plunger F is struck, whereby the pin G moves the valve H and uncovers the ports I), and the compressed air immediately enters the shell and exerts itself against the ball or projectile, and forcibly discharges the same from the shell, the result being accomplished without the smell, smoke, heat, and fouling tendency of explosives and the danger of transporting and handlingthe same. The shell is now removed, the valve I-I reset, another ball or projectile fitted in the shell, and the latter then inserted 'in the barrel, ready to receive another charge of air from the barrel and discharge its projectile in a manner similar to that hereinbefore stated.

.Having thus described my invention, What I 7 claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

A cartridge shell operating with an aircharged barrel, consisting of a shellwith ports, a valve encircling said shell for covering and uncovering said ports, and a plunger which is fitted within the shell and connected with said valve, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

XVILLIAM T. CHAMBERLAIN.

Witnesses:

JoHN A. WVInDERsHErM, A. P. GRANT. 

